The specific phrase, “I am he,” occurs only 21 times in the Bible. In 11 Old Testament occurrences, 9 refer to Yahweh. In the New Testament, 8 of 10 refer to Jesus Christ.
The O.T. references speak of Yahweh’s relation to the Jews. He is special; He cannot be confused with any they might consider a god. “There is no god with (Him)” (Deut. 32:39). He has done everything; nothing has been done that He has not done. “Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am he” (Isa. 41:4).
God identified Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14: “I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” From this comes the name “Yahweh:” “He who shall be” or “He who shall become” or “He who is.” The fact He exists is important to those who are special to Him. That knowledge assures them He is always near and will eventually make Himself known to them. While in captivity it was said of them, “my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I” (Isa. 52:6).
I am He – New Testament
The eight New Testament references all occur in the writings of John: six times in his gospel, twice in the Apocalypse.
While the phrase does not occur in John 5, verses 36-45 set the tone. “The works…that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me…Search the scriptures…they…testify of me…How can ye believe…and seek not the honor that cometh from God only…there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.”
God would manifest Himself in His only begotten Son, Jesus, the Christ. He would redeem His people through His Son. Moses and the prophets had spoken of that redemption centuries before. In some cases, they had typified it. In Jesus, it would all be fulfilled for he was the Messiah who was to come.
The Samaritan woman at the well came to know and believe that Jesus was that Messiah. She said, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (in. 4:25,26 not one of the eight above-mentioned references).
Jesus came to redeem the true Israel of God, and those who would be joined to them through baptism into his death and resurrection. He said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” When he returns, he will use that power over “hell and death” to raise all who are responsible and will grant immortality to those who have kept his word. To those who have rejected his teachings, he will say, “ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24).
John was not the one
John the Baptist came in a fashion that may have misled many in Israel. It would appear that many supposed that John was the Christ. From the beginning, he denied this was true. He emphatically stated that he was “not that light” (Jn. 1:8). Later, he “confessed I am not the Christ” (1:20).
He had come preaching repentance; he had come, dressed in the simple garb of the desert, surviving on simple fare. He was an obvious Nazarite, refraining from the ‘wine’ of which others had so willingly partaken. Like the ‘teacher of righteousness’ spoken of in the writings of the Dead Sea scrolls, he came baptizing. They even asked him, “Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not the Christ?”
It becomes apparent that Jesus is making the claim to be the Christ, the Messiah, the “I am”, the manifestation of the Father. He alone may state, “lam he.” He not only makes this claim in reference to his existence, he calls attention to himself in descriptive ways. He does not just say, “I am.” He says, “I am the bread of life.” He claims, “Jam the light of the world.” To come to the Father, we must approach through him, who is “the door.” He will guide us through, giving his life so that we might enter the sheepfold because he is the “good shepherd.” For those who come to him, he is the “resurrection and the life.” In fact, he emphasizes, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
And interspersed with these declarations, he time and again refers to the fact that he “comes from above;” that is, his Father is God. He is not “of this world,” i.e. he does not walk in worldly ways. He says, “I am not alone, because the Father is with me;” he drew upon his Father’s help at all times. In chapters 8, 9 and 12, he refers to himself as the “light of the world.” Without Jesus Christ, all the world lies in darkness.
I am the bread of life
Five thousand men were fed by five loaves and two fish, not even taking into account the women and children. Twelve baskets full remained following that meal. This crowd had already witnessed the numerous healings Jesus had performed on the sick. With this undeniable sign, they declared him to be “the Prophet who is to come.” No wonder “Jesus realized that they would come and carry him off to make him king, so he fled back to the mountain alone” (6:15).
Following the miracle of feeding the 5,000, we see Jesus’ control over the sea further demonstrating that, “I am he.” As the apostles struggled against a strong wind and rough seas, Jesus approached them, walking upon the sea. Mark tells us they were fearful thinking they had seen an apparition, a ghost. “Immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.” As soon as he came aboard, “the wind ceased and they were sore amazed…and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves.” Had they given adequate thought to that miracle, the marvel of feeding a great multitude with more food remaining than they had at the beginning, they should not wonder at the fact another part of nature was subject to him.
Upon coming together in Capernaum, with basically the same people he had fed, Jesus instructs them that the Father above would only now give them the true heavenly bread which would impart life to those who would partake of it. This would be the sign they would now be given, but it would require something from them which would prove difficult for them to give. Belief.
Manna in the wilderness
The manna was clearly a miraculous occurrence. Any manna gathered Sunday through Thursday would rot and become worm infested if left until the next morning. That gathered on Saturday, however, which would also serve for Sunday, did not become worm infested on the seventh day. This fact alone proved it was provided by God. The manna held in the pot did not corrupt either.
The manna was a “shadow of heavenly things.” Being gathered daily, it pointed to the fact that God provided daily bread — natural and spiritual. The weekly miracle of the seventh day points to the special circumstances of the millennial day. Those who live by the bread provided by God during the week, will not hunger on the seventh day.
The manna in the ark suggests at least two things. Firstly, it represents the Lord Jesus Christ, the living bread.
Secondly, the bread in the ark possibly pointed to the burial of the antitypical bread of life. He was laid in a tomb, but only for a brief time. “I am he,” -he was the bread of life which did not violate any principle of the commands of God, who would live forever, being even now in heaven at the right hand of God.
The living bread
In John 6:34ff, those listening to Jesus begged, “Sir, give us this bread all the time. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life (living bread, v.51): he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” In the encounter with the Samaritan woman, he said much the same thing: “…whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (4:14). In 6:14, many had said, “this is…that prophet that should come into the world.” In both situations, Jesus relates the benefit of that which he will give them — that which will satisfy their thirst forever. Note also their responses: in John 4:15, the woman says, “give me this water, that I thirst not.” Here, the people begged, “give us this bread all the time.” One other thing to note, the events in chapter 4 precede “a feast of the Jews” (5:1). In chapter 6, “the passover, a feast of the Jews was nigh.”
In John 6, Jesus states emphatically, “I myself am the bread of life.” There is no other. The Greek ego eimi is found with a predicate, and underscores that he is the only one who is the bread of life.
Those who come to him, those who believe in him seem to be parallel phrases. Later, Jesus will say, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” He goes on to say, “they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:44,45).
The symbols of both water and bread stress items of daily need. We need to eat and drink each day in order to survive. We need the life-giving effects of the bread of life and the cleansing effects of the water of life each day. The word made flesh is the bread which must be eaten; the water must be taken daily for cleansing, purifying, quenching the thirst; “the washing of the water of (by) the word.”
Jesus equates the life-giving attributes of bread with belief in himself; he tells them, “though you have seen me, still you don’t believe me…He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. lam that bread of life” (John 6:36, 47, 48). The “fathers” had eaten the manna year after year in the wilderness. What happened to them? They were barred from the promised land. The manna had no saving properties in itself.
Speaking of himself, Jesus says, “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.” Jesus, the bread of life, did have saving properties in himself. He confidently states, “if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh…which I will give for the life of the world” (6:50, 51).
Eat the flesh of Jesus? How could this be? Yet, Jesus goes further. He tells them they must eat his flesh and drink his blood. Is this what he meant earlier concerning those who would come and believe in him, who would no longer hunger or thirst? (v. 35). Not literally, but certainly figuratively. Bread, flesh; water, blood — are these terms synonymous? When these symbols are understood, yes. The bread is the life-giving word. The flesh of Jesus, lifted up on the pole is also potentially life-giving (John 3:14-17; 8:28-32; 12:28-36). The blood of the sacrifices had cleansing, purifying properties. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Paul goes on to say, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission…For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us…So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Heb. 9: 14- 28).
The water, like the bread, is sometimes a symbol of the word. But it was also linked with blood at the crucifixion. When the soldier pierced the side of Jesus, blood and water poured out (John 19:34). This was the blood of the new covenant. Those who have been baptized into Christ may receive the gift of God which is eternal life.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One